Northern Irish MP Carla Lockhart has been appointed the Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group in Westminster.
Lockhart has been an outspoken pro-life MP since she won her seat in 2019. During her maiden speech she said:
“I feel it is imperative that I speak on this to attempt again to highlight the anger, disappointment and frustration concerning the change in abortion laws that have been foisted upon the people of Northern Ireland. These changes came in the most roughshod way, with complete contempt for the devolved Administration and the views of the people of Northern Ireland”.
“It is incomprehensible that the Government, knowing that abortion was a devolved matter, has published consultation proposals to introduce changes that go far beyond what has actually been required by Parliament”.
“It is a mammoth and sobering task as we seek to restore life affirming laws across the United Kingdom”
In 2020, Lockhart joined campaigner Heidi Crowter in promoting and delivering an open letter to the Prime Minister against the abortion law in Northern Ireland that permits abortion up until birth for people with disabilities. Crowter, who herself has Down’s syndrome, said the law made her feel like she would be “better off dead”.
At the time, Lockhart said: “[W]e have delivered a petition to the Government saying no to the extreme abortion regulations that are being forced on the people of Northern Ireland”.
“Along with over 18,000 people from Northern Ireland who signed the petition, we want to send a clear message to the Government that the people of Northern Ireland do not want Westminster imposing these extreme abortion laws on them”.
“Instead, we join with Heidi Crowter in saying ‘no’ to discriminatory disability-selective abortion”.
Prior to being elected as Member of Parliament for Upper Bann in 2019, Carla Lockhart was a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann and had a strong track record of standing up for the unborn and pregnant women at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
On her appointment she wrote on Facebook: “Everyone will know my passion for protecting the unborn, the most vulnerable in our society. I am deeply humbled by this appointment. It is a mammoth and sobering task as we seek to restore life affirming laws across the United Kingdom. #EquallyHuman #BothLivesMatter”
Right To Life UK spokesperson, Catherine Robinson, said: “We are very pleased to see this new appointment and, as secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group, Right To Life UK is looking forward to supporting Carla Lockhart in her new position. Carla Lockhart has shown herself to be a consistent and strong defender of the unborn, and has frequently spoken in their defence.
The current chair of the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group, Fiona Bruce MP, has worked tirelessly over the years to ensure the vulnerable are protected from abortion and assisted suicide. Carla Lockhart will complement the courageous work that Fiona Bruce MP does and enable the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Life Group to do more to build a better political situation for the unborn child, pregnant women and those nearing the end of their lives. ”.
